August 14, 2006 Issue

Cover art by: Cover by Gene Case & José Chicas/Avenging Angels

purchase current issue

Feature

Iraq Is Dying

As an array of Iraqi leaders met with American peace activists this week in Amman, Jordan, a grim picture emerged of what the future will be, regardless of whether US troops stay or depart.
Tom Hayden
Ned Lamont’s Digital Constituency

Liberal bloggers were just one aspect of a sophisticated netroots strategy that led Ned Lamont to victory. Lamont must now leverage his digital constituency to force Joe Lieberman to drop his independent bid and win the support of a broad spectrum of voters.
Ari Melber
Say Goodnight, Joe

Without a motivated base, fundraising capacity or resonant message, Joe Lieberman is now in free-fall, lacking the strength and credibility to run as an independent.
Bruce Shapiro
Birth Pangs of a New Christian Zionism

Rapture-ready Christian Zionists have hired their first full-time Washington lobbyist. He’s experienced, connected–and, oy vey, he’s Jewish.
Max Blumenthal
The Smoking Volcano

As election officials in Mexico recount only a handful of contested voting districts in the flawed presidential elections, Andrés Manuel López Obrador walks a tightrope between defiance and keeping a lid on his steamed-up constituents.
John Ross
Lieberman Digs In

In New Haven, Joe Lieberman dismissed questions about a possible independent run if he is defeated in today’s primary by antiwar candidate Ned Lamont and declared if re-elected to the Senate, he would not change his ways.
Ari Melber
Israeli Doves Challenge the War

According to the Western media, most Israelis, including leading peace advocates, support the ongoing war in Lebanon. But Israeli doves are beginning to speak out. Will it make a difference?
Jon Wiener
Is Israel Good for the Jews?

An American Jewish identity that centers on unconditional defense of Israel is not healthy–for either American Jews or Israel.
Norman Birnbaum
Dreams Deferred in Lebanon

The wounds of the country’s long civil war and Israeli occupation were gradually healing. That fragile recovery now lies buried under the rubble of renewed fighting.
Annia Ciezadlo
AIPAC’s Hold

The Congressional reaction to Hezbollah’s attack on Israel and Israel’s bombing of Lebanon provide the latest example of the lobby’s grip on US foreign policy.
Ari Berman
The Left Gets Real

Is the coziness of progressives and foreign policy realists a strategic alliance or a sign that the conservative co-optation of “human rights” has disillusioned the left?
Eyal Press
A Fight for the Party’s Soul

The Lamont/Lieberman Democratic primary race is a referendum not only on the Iraq War but on a new vision for the Democratic Party.
John Nichols
Too Late for Empire

Thirty years after Watergate, we again face a constitutional crisis at home and a misconceived war abroad. The United States will remain a helpless giant until we finally learn that power in the nuclear, postimperial age is diplomatic, not military.
Jonathan Schell

Editorial

Bush Postpones 2008 Election

In a news brief from the future, Bush continues to do whatever it takes to protect us from terror.
Stephen Gillers
Reading the Reed Rout

Two Republican primaries in the Deep South expose potentially serious cracks in the party’s religious-right foundation.
Bob Moser
Mumbai’s Casualties

The grisly commuter train bombings in Mumbai on July 11 both endangered the India/Pakistan peace process and underscored its fragility.
Graham Usher
The Holy Land (cartoon)

Charles Bragg
The View From Israel

The crisis in the Middle East reveals the dangers of religious fundamentalism and leaving political decisions to the military.
Hillel Schenker
Anger in the Arab World

At best, war in Gaza and Lebanon will weaken pro-American regimes without destroying Hezbollah, Hamas, Iran or Syria. At worst, it will plunge the region into catastrophe.
Rashid Khalidi
The Fractured Mideast

Bush’s Mideast strategy of inaction is a dangerous failure. He must act diplomatically to achieve a cease-fire, prisoner exchange and Israeli withdrawal from Arab lands.
The Editors
GET UNLIMITED DIGITAL ACCESS FOR LESS THAN $3 A MONTH!

Subscribe

Column

Why We Don’t Know Our Enemy

Hysteria over the barbarians at the gate has destroyed republics from Rome to Germany. A new book explains why Bush’s post-September 11 America may meet a similar fate.
Robert Scheer
Israel’s Dependency on the Drug of Militarism

The Jewish state’s diehard supporters in the White House, Congress and the media seem unable to understand Israel can’t bomb its way to security.
Robert Scheer
You Can Keep the Faith

Major League Baseball’s new “Faith Days” campaign is about more than family-friendly Christian entertainment with a twist of commerce.
Dave Zirin
No Presents, Please

The only thing more absurd than the wedding gift the British government just gave Katha Pollitt is the fact that our government denies gays such benefits.
Katha Pollitt
The Triumph of Crackpot Realism

The American government has lost its grasp on reality in Iraq and Lebanon. They seek out the bright, clear problems of war, leaving rubble and corpses in their wake.
Alexander Cockburn
Reading Less Bad News From Iraq

The papers simply cannot find the space.
Calvin Trillin

Books & the Arts

With Feathers

In Lunacy, order and liberty wriggle with equal parts Poe and Sade. In Scoop, recycled sleuthing gags masquerade as timely satire.
Stuart Klawans
The Global Village

What does it mean to be from a place? In Monica Ali’s new novel, Alentejo Blue, the collision of locals, expatriates and tourists shatters any simple answers to the question.
Nell Freudenberger
A Burnt-Out Case

A new biography of Timothy Leary reveals the mixed-up sociopath behind the “turn on, tune in, drop out” mantra.
Neal Pollack
The Sunkist Utopian

One hundred years ago, Upton Sinclair exposed the meatpacking industry. Three new books expose Sinclair as an activist dreamer with a messianic streak.
Brenda Wineapple
Too Late for Empire

Thirty years after Watergate, we again face a constitutional crisis at home and a misconceived war abroad. The United States will remain a helpless giant until we finally learn that power in the nuclear, postimperial age is diplomatic, not military.
Jonathan Schell
The stakes are higher now than ever. Get The Nation in your inbox.

Sign up

Letters

Letters

MOMMY SMEARiST

Red Hook, NY
Our Readers

Log In

August 14, 2006 Issue

Feature

As an array of Iraqi leaders met with American peace activists this week in Amman, Jordan, a grim picture emerged of what the future will be, regardless of whether US troops stay or depart.

Liberal bloggers were just one aspect of a sophisticated netroots strategy that led Ned Lamont to victory. Lamont must now leverage his digital constituency to force Joe Lieberman to drop his independent bid and win the support of a broad spectrum of voters.

Without a motivated base, fundraising capacity or resonant message, Joe Lieberman is now in free-fall, lacking the strength and credibility to run as an independent.

Rapture-ready Christian Zionists have hired their first full-time Washington lobbyist. He’s experienced, connected–and, oy vey, he’s Jewish.

As election officials in Mexico recount only a handful of contested voting districts in the flawed presidential elections, Andrés Manuel López Obrador walks a tightrope between defiance and keeping a lid on his steamed-up constituents.

In New Haven, Joe Lieberman dismissed questions about a possible independent run if he is defeated in today’s primary by antiwar candidate Ned Lamont and declared if re-elected to the Senate, he would not change his ways.

According to the Western media, most Israelis, including leading peace advocates, support the ongoing war in Lebanon. But Israeli doves are beginning to speak out. Will it make a difference?

An American Jewish identity that centers on unconditional defense of Israel is not healthy–for either American Jews or Israel.

The wounds of the country’s long civil war and Israeli occupation were gradually healing. That fragile recovery now lies buried under the rubble of renewed fighting.

The Congressional reaction to Hezbollah’s attack on Israel and Israel’s bombing of Lebanon provide the latest example of the lobby’s grip on US foreign policy.

Is the coziness of progressives and foreign policy realists a strategic alliance or a sign that the conservative co-optation of “human rights” has disillusioned the left?

The Lamont/Lieberman Democratic primary race is a referendum not only on the Iraq War but on a new vision for the Democratic Party.

Thirty years after Watergate, we again face a constitutional crisis at home and a misconceived war abroad. The United States will remain a helpless giant until we finally learn that power in the nuclear, postimperial age is diplomatic, not military.

Editorial

In a news brief from the future, Bush continues to do whatever it takes to protect us from terror.

Two Republican primaries in the Deep South expose potentially serious cracks in the party’s religious-right foundation.

The grisly commuter train bombings in Mumbai on July 11 both endangered the India/Pakistan peace process and underscored its fragility.

The crisis in the Middle East reveals the dangers of religious fundamentalism and leaving political decisions to the military.

At best, war in Gaza and Lebanon will weaken pro-American regimes without destroying Hezbollah, Hamas, Iran or Syria. At worst, it will plunge the region into catastrophe.

Bush’s Mideast strategy of inaction is a dangerous failure. He must act diplomatically to achieve a cease-fire, prisoner exchange and Israeli withdrawal from Arab lands.

GET UNLIMITED DIGITAL ACCESS FOR LESS THAN $3 A MONTH!

Column

Hysteria over the barbarians at the gate has destroyed republics from Rome to Germany. A new book explains why Bush’s post-September 11 America may meet a similar fate.

The Jewish state’s diehard supporters in the White House, Congress and the media seem unable to understand Israel can’t bomb its way to security.

Major League Baseball’s new “Faith Days” campaign is about more than family-friendly Christian entertainment with a twist of commerce.

The only thing more absurd than the wedding gift the British government just gave Katha Pollitt is the fact that our government denies gays such benefits.

The American government has lost its grasp on reality in Iraq and Lebanon. They seek out the bright, clear problems of war, leaving rubble and corpses in their wake.

The papers simply cannot find the space.

Books & the Arts

In Lunacy, order and liberty wriggle with equal parts Poe and Sade. In Scoop, recycled sleuthing gags masquerade as timely satire.

What does it mean to be from a place? In Monica Ali’s new novel, Alentejo Blue, the collision of locals, expatriates and tourists shatters any simple answers to the question.

A new biography of Timothy Leary reveals the mixed-up sociopath behind the “turn on, tune in, drop out” mantra.

One hundred years ago, Upton Sinclair exposed the meatpacking industry. Three new books expose Sinclair as an activist dreamer with a messianic streak.

Thirty years after Watergate, we again face a constitutional crisis at home and a misconceived war abroad. The United States will remain a helpless giant until we finally learn that power in the nuclear, postimperial age is diplomatic, not military.

The stakes are higher now than ever. Get The Nation in your inbox.

Letters

MOMMY SMEARiST Red Hook, NY

MOMMY SMEARiST

Red Hook, NY